Atlanta Delayed Diagnosis Lawyer
Medical mistakes in Atlanta are more common than many doctors would like to admit. Errors of all types can cause devastating harm to patients, but the most heartbreaking cases may be those that involve failure to diagnose a treatable condition.
If you or a loved one suffered harm because a doctor failed to diagnose a condition in a timely manner, it is a good idea to talk to an Atlanta delayed diagnosis lawyer who could rely on the experience of an in-house doctor and utilize cutting-edge technology. Legal action will not provide a cure or change the past. However, a medical malpractice lawyer could help you obtain justice, as well as compensation to offset some of your losses and care for future needs for yourself and your family. Call today to speak directly to an attorney.
Delayed Diagnosis Cases
Cases involving failure to diagnose, or delayed diagnosis of a condition differ from other medical malpractice cases in many respects. Most notably, the doctor’s involvement in the case does not directly cause the harm, such as in situations where a surgeon leaves an instrument inside a patient’s body. However, the harm that is caused is often just as severe.
If a doctor fails to diagnose breast cancer in a patient, for example, and the patient later dies, it is the cancer that is directly responsible for the death. However, Atlanta delayed diagnosis attorneys know that does not absolve the doctor from liability for the failure to diagnose. The physician’s negligence in the case contributed to the death because if the doctor had provided the proper diagnosis, timely treatment could have led to a cure. There was a lost opportunity to fight the cancer, and who wouldn’t want that opportunity?
The Burden is on the Patient to Prove Negligence
Patients rely on medical professionals to act with competence and provide at least an ordinary standard of care. When they act in a way that does not meet acceptable practices under the circumstances, either by doing something incorrectly or failing to take required action, they can and should be held accountable for this negligence.
A delayed diagnosis lawyer in Atlanta could investigate to determine what the medical standard should have been in the case. Expert witnesses can be used to explain how a doctor failed to meet the standard of care and how that failure caused harm to the patient.
Before patients can file a malpractice case for a delayed diagnosis, they must obtain an affidavit from a medical expert providing an opinion on one or more negligent acts of the physician who is the subject of the lawsuit. The affidavit must be submitted at the time of filing the initial complaint or, barring some limited exceptions, the case will be dismissed.
Consult a Knowledgeable Atlanta Delayed Diagnosis Attorney
Proving medical malpractice can be a challenge but it is important to hold doctors accountable when they provide unacceptable care. If a medical practice is more concerned with profits than the welfare of patients, the results can be lethal.
When you work with an Atlanta delayed diagnosis lawyer, an attorney could serve as your advocate in dealing with insurance companies and investigators, allowing you to focus on other critical aspects of your life. A dedicated malpractice attorney could fight to uncover the truth, helping you find peace and closure. Moreover, compensation from a malpractice claim could cover past losses and help provide for the future of your family. For a free consultation and case evaluation, call at any hour to speak directly with an attorney.
